Chapter 37 (edited)

Because of that tornado, the entire road was temporarily paralyzed, and a large number of cars were destroyed, including some nearby houses.

It would take at least two to three days to clear the debris and resume normal traffic.

Jonathan and the others had no choice but to turn back halfway. Meanwhile, the puppy they rescued couldn't find its owner, so they decided to bring it back with them.

Kara was the first to return home. She was so fast that she easily broke through the sound barrier. No one knew where she had gone; she simply circled back and returned home.

By the time Jonathan and the others arrived, Kara had already found a set of clothes from the package she had prepared earlier and changed into them.

Looking at Kara's sharp uniform, Clark showed an envious expression. He didn't have his own battle suit yet.

"When did you put that on?" Jonathan asked as he noticed Kara's suit, growing more upset the longer he looked at it. "You shouldn't have taken that risk."

"Should I have just stood by and watched you die?" Kara turned to him, her expression firm. "Sorry, I can't do that."

Jonathan sighed, his tone shifting between worry and helplessness. "I'm not saying you shouldn't help, but I'm worried that you and Clark's identities might be exposed because of this. Do you know what would happen if the world found out about you two? Kara, you and Clark have the power to destroy the world if you ever wanted to—"

"I would never!" Kara interjected, her tone rising.

Jonathan continued, "Even so, the fear of what you could do is enough to make people panic. Even if you mean no harm, others may not see it that way. You'd be targeted, hunted by the entire world."

"The world isn't ready to accept you," he said quietly.

Kara threw a sweater on over her uniform. While the tights were manageable, the cape was a little cumbersome, and she found it irritating.

Martha stepped in, sighing softly. She helped Kara hide the cape under the hem of her blouse and adjusted her skirt.

Jonathan noticed but didn't say much. Kara wore an extra pair of shorts under her skirt for practicality, something Jonathan hadn't realized until now.

The makeshift adjustment seemed effective, though it wasn't the most ladylike approach. Kara had also tucked her boots under her trousers and slipped on a pair of casual shoes over them.

Jonathan gave Martha a look but held back his comments. From her skillful assistance, he could tell she had done this for Kara before.

Martha, unbothered by Jonathan's expression, simply smiled and said, "It's fine."

Jonathan sighed and warned Kara, "This is only the first time. You got lucky that no one caught it on video, but don't take chances again, Kara. Promise me there won't be a next time."

"You're being selfish, Dad," Kara replied bluntly.

"Selfish?" Jonathan's tone hardened as he stared at her.

The tension between father and daughter filled the room, and Martha stepped in to mediate. "Kara, don't talk to your father like that."

But Kara's emotions were too raw to back down. Looking directly at Jonathan, she challenged him: "You're the head of this family. What happens to us if something happens to you? What about Mom? What about Clark? Don't you want to set a good example for him? Don't you want him to grow up to be a hero who brings hope to humanity?"

Her voice softened as she continued, "And me? If I stood by and watched you get taken away by that tornado, how could I live with myself? How could I call myself a hero after that?"

"I understand your fears. You're worried about what might happen if people find out about us—if the government comes after us or we're labeled threats. I get it. But I can't just sit and watch while my family, the most important people in my life, are in danger."

Jonathan remained silent, absorbing her words.

Kara's voice trembled slightly, but her conviction never wavered. "This family isn't a game to me. It's real. You're my family, and I won't let anything take you away."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out the door.

The puppy followed her, its tail wagging happily.

Outside, Kara found a baseball lying nearby and showed it to the puppy, letting it sniff it before tossing it across the field.

The dog, clearly trained or familiar with the game, immediately bolted after the ball, retrieving it a short while later.

As Kara prepared to throw it again, she heard footsteps behind her.

Jonathan had followed her outside. He smiled slightly, trying to ease the tension. "If no one comes to claim it, I guess this little guy will be the newest member of the family."

Kara froze for a moment, processing his words. Did he just compare me to a dog? she thought indignantly. Gritting her teeth, she hurled the baseball with all her strength.

It disappeared into the sky with a faint whistle.

The puppy stared in confusion before instinctively chasing after it, though it was unlikely the ball was even still in the country, let alone the field.

Even Jonathan was momentarily stunned.

Kara sat down on the back of the pickup truck, the puppy circling her feet before settling obediently beside her.

Jonathan approached, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Kara, I know you were trying to save me, and I'm grateful. But I don't want you or Clark to end up as enemies of the world."

"Dad, you're overthinking it," Kara said, finally breaking her silence. She turned to him, her expression serious. "There are far greater threats on this planet than us."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"For example," Kara continued, "there's an entire kingdom underwater—Atlantis. They have technology hundreds of years ahead of us and could probably build spaceships if they wanted to."

Jonathan's jaw dropped. "Atlantis? Are you serious?"

Kara nodded. "If things ever went south, people might focus on them instead of us."

Jonathan broke into a nervous sweat. "Kara, don't even joke about that. The world doesn't need more chaos."

Kara smirked, knowing she had made her point but kept the worst-case scenario to herself.